


Breathless

by a_cascade



Category: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Hand Jobs, M/M, Neck Kissing, One Shot, Teasing, am i queen of rare pairs yet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-18 07:12:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14848125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_cascade/pseuds/a_cascade
Summary: Buck was intrigued by Bandit from the moment he first laid eyes on him. As they slowly grow closer Buck finds that he has a lot to learn about Bandit and even more to learn about himself.





	Breathless

**Author's Note:**

> I meant to finish this sooner, but I got caught up watching Pro League lmao. I want to get used to writing longer fics so here's something that's a pretty decent length.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy!

“You see that?” Blitz said to him, tipping his chin pointedly at the horizon. His eyes squinted as the sun shined in his face. “This is a rare day.”

 

Buck followed his gaze and cupped a hand over his eyes to block the sunlight from his eyes. It was a rare day indeed. For one thing, the usual cloudy grey skies and dreary weather that was typical of Britain had retreated for the afternoon, leaving only a few wisps of clouds to spot the blue expanse above. The other reason was that there were two new recruits to Team Rainbow arriving at the Academy from Germany.

 

As Buck stood on the asphalt track he spotted three figures entering the field. He immediately recognized his drill sergeant among them, shades over her eyes and a black snapback on her head. A single red plait stuck out from underneath her cap and draped over her shoulder. He didn’t recognize the other two with Ash. The Germans, he presumed. Buck was surprised they would be joining the rest of their squad for training so soon.

 

As the Germans came closer he noticed right away that they were twins, almost perfectly identical. One brother was an inch or so taller than the other and had a remarkably bored expression on his face, as if the training didn’t interest him at all. The shorter of the two had a distinct scar below his eye, crossing over his cheek. His eyes were kind and welcoming when they met Buck’s for a brief instant.

 

Ash whispered something to the newcomers before they left her side and fell in with the rest of the group. Then she had them all line up behind the start line and they all crowded behind the thick white line painted on the asphalt track. She explained to them all that this was a practice test of their endurance and seeing how well they performed would help them better gauge how much more training they needed to do before the real thing. Buck stretched in preparation for the run ahead.

 

Ash blew her whistle and suddenly all the men were sprinting forward as quickly as they could. Buck found himself in the center of the group, getting carried along with the crowd as they all ran along the track. Buck pumped his arms and concentrated on his breathing, kept it evenly timed with his pace. The light wind blew through his short hair as he jogged and cooled his heated skin. He felt good.

 

They ran one lap, two laps easily. On the third the crowd had dispersed a bit, separating into various groups of speed and a few stragglers. After a few more laps sweat was dripping down Buck’s brow and dampening his shirt.

 

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a head of blond hair pass him, then continue on until the German man was at the head of the pack. Buck stumbled, but quickly regained his footing as he watched the blond continue on ahead of the crowd, putting distance between himself and the other trainees. Next to him Thermite huffed, in disbelief or perhaps annoyance, as his eyes also followed the German man up the track.

 

His concentration was broken and the exhaustion crashed down on him like a wave. Buck was finding it increasingly harder to breathe. His legs felt perfectly fine but it felt as if he couldn’t pull in enough air quickly enough. He had to stop. He stumbled down to a slow walk, panting hard, his heart beating furiously in his chest as he set his hands on his hips and took deep breaths. He heard footsteps come up behind him and then Ash’s voice in his ears telling him to get back to it, but his lungs were burning and all he could focus on was the German.

 

 

“Not much of a runner, I take it?” He looked up as a hand touched his shoulder gently. The curious eyes of Cedrick Brunsmeier stared back into his in concern. “You all right?”

 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks.” Buck offered the man a soft smile and tried his best to seem as friendly as possible. “Cedrick, right?” He remembered Jäger telling him about him earlier. The other man’s face seemed to light up as a smile spread across his face.

 

“Right!” Cedrick chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder, perhaps a bit too hard. Buck’s shoulder stung where Cedrick’s hand landed. “You’re one of the few people to get my name right on the first try. You’d be surprised how many people guess I’m my brother first.”

 

Cedrick offered him a hand and he took it gratefully, allowing the man to help him to his feet. Buck stretched his arms out above his head, the muscles in his back somewhat tense. He and the German man trailed behind their fellow trainees as they headed back to the main part of the base.

 

“Sébastien, by the way.” The Canadian said as he broke the silence. They had caught up with the rest of the group now. “Séb for short, if you’d like.”

 

“Séb it is, then—Dom, c’mere a sec.” Cedrick grabbed him by the arm as he passed and pulled him to his side, throwing arm over his twin’s shoulders. The man looked as if he were about to protest but Cedrick gave him a look that silenced him before he could utter a single complaint. “Séb, I’d like to introduce you to my brother Dominic.”

 

So this was the infamous Dominic Brunsmeier he had heard about—otherwise known as Bandit. Buck didn’t know what he had expected. From what he understood, Bandit was a bit of a chaotic force within the GSG9 and had developed reputation for being a bit of a loose cannon and a prankster, evidently.

 

They were polar opposites of one another. While Cedrick was a warm and amicable presence, Bandit was aloof and didn’t really seem to have much of any interest in socializing with anyone. However, Buck decided he had won a small victory when the man spared him a glance, looking him over briefly before turning his gaze elsewhere. Cedrick pulled Bandit along as they entered the building, having him walk between them as they headed towards the showers.

 

Bandit, forever failing to disappoint, continued to be an enigma as the weeks passed. Cedrick was easy enough to get along with, but his twin was a different story. The man was by no means an unfriendly person, but his demeanor was more than off-putting. Yet, Buck found himself trying to break crack his hard exterior.

 

He happened to find the man in question in the kitchen sometime early in the morning. Buck hadn’t expected anyone else to be awake, especially not Bandit. He didn’t think the German had noticed him enter, so he stood there in the doorway and watched him for a moment. In the few weeks Bandit had been at the Academy he had never seen the man look so at ease and utterly content as he shuffled about the kitchen.

 

“Is there enough for me?” Buck said, finally stepping beyond the threshold and moving to stand across the counter from the man. Bandit finally looked up from his work and spared him a glance. He didn’t look surprised to see him there. “Didn’t know you could cook. ”

 

“Yeah, well,” Bandit took a small glass bowl of cracked eggs and poured its contents into a large bowl with flour among other things. The he added a bit of milk and a drop of vanilla extract and mixed it all together with a whisk until it became a thin batter. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

 

Buck was so captivated by the other man's fluid motions that he didn’t notice at first when Bandit had set a plate of the most delectable crêpes he had ever seen in his life in front of him. They were stuffed with chopped strawberries and topped with cream. Buck’s mouth watered at the sight. Bandit’s arm bumped against his lightly when the man came to stand beside him with a plate of his own.

 

“Hurry up and eat before they get cold.” Bandit said before he stuffed his mouth full hungrily. Buck dug into his own breakfast with the same eagerness.

 

“Oh, these are _amazing_.” Buck groaned. Bandit gave him a genuine smile that made his heart flutter. It was an unexpected feeling that caught him by surprise. He had thought Bandit was handsome from the moment he had first laid eyes on him, but we he truly smiled, with crinkles in the corners of his eyes and all, he was radiant.

 

 

Few operatives stayed at the base over the weekends, especially during holidays, but Buck chose to remain at Hereford this time rather than enduring the hour and a half long drive it would inevitably take him to get home. It was not at all unusual for him. He lived alone and therefore never had anyone waiting for him to return home to his flat in Birmingham at the end of each week.

 

Relocating to the UK had not been as easy for him as he would have liked. He missed his family dearly and often felt homesick. He wished he could have gone home for the holidays that year, but there was just too much work to be done at the base. Earlier that evening his sisters called to wish him a happy new year and he was comforted to know that they were thinking of him.

 

He was surprised to find Bandit had stayed at the base as well. He found the man curled up on the couch in the longue nursing a bottle of champagne, his eyes blankly watching the television. It seemed the two of them had opted for spending New Years alone that year.

 

“Did Cedrick head home for the weekend?” He asked as he moved further into the room. Bandit didn’t answer. He only continued to stare blankly at the screen.

 

Buck took a seat next to him, lightly patting the German on the knee to jostle him from his trance-like state. Bandit looked at him as if he hadn’t noticed him there before and finally acknowledged him. Then he raised the bottle of Champagne up to him in offering. Sébastian muttered a soft thanks as he took it from him and took a long swig. The sparkling drink was cold but left a warm feeling deep in his chest.

 

“Have you eaten?” The Canadian said as he handed the bottle of wine back to the German. Bandit only shrugged and continued to stare at the TV with a bored expression on his face. “Well, let’s make something, then.”

 

That roused a proper reaction from the other man, “Make something? Really?”

 

“Yeah, why not?” Buck was already getting up from the couch. He grabbed hold of Bandit’s free hand and lightly pulled, hoping to get the man to abandon the couch for the time being and accompany him to the kitchen. “You cooked for me last time, so let me cook for you. C’mon, Dom, get up.”

 

Bandit groaned in exasperation but allowed Buck to lead him down to the kitchen. It was becoming late in the evening and only a handful of people were in sight, some already sloshed with drink. They found Castle and Mira raiding the pantry of all its snack foods. Castle pushed a bottle of Canadian whisky against Buck’s chest on their way out. It was his favorite.

 

“Found a bottle of this stuff on my beer run,” Castle said as he fumbled with the various items in his arms. He dropped a bag of chips on the floor and sighed, not even bothering to attempt to pick it up. “Anyway, I thought you might like it.” Buck thanked him and watched amusedly as the American and the Spaniard left the kitchen struggling with their hoard.

Buck cursed when he accidentally burned his finger on the pot handle for the third time. Perhaps he wasn’t as cut out for the task as he thought he was. Behind him he heard Bandit sigh deeply and walk around the counter.

 

“You’re useless,” Bandit said as he stepped up next to him, pushing him away from the counter. He accidently dropped the knife he was holding on the floor and Bandit shooed him again. “Just get out of the way.”

 

Buck was hurt and mildly annoyed but he did as he was told and let Bandit take over. He watched as the man got right to work, turning a disaster into a miracle. Bandit worked surprisingly well with his hands, slicing and dicing up the ingredients with remarkable speed and precision. Within moments Bandit had combined everything into a stew and the two of them left it to cook.

 

“It was the only way to salvage your mess.” Bandit informed him as he flipped through the channels on TV. Buck caught glimpses of old British sitcoms and news coverages of the New Year’s festivities. Beautiful displays of fireworks bursting high above several cities’ skylines and illuminating the sky with color.

 

“Thanks,” Buck muttered, almost pouting as he took a sip of some of the whisky Castle had given him. Bandit snatched the bottle out of his hands and Buck protested. Bandit kept eye contact with the Canadian as took a swig straight from the bottle, mischief dancing in his eyes as if he were daring Buck to do something about it.

 

As they ate it dawned on him that he wasn’t spending his New Year’s Eve alone after all. He was spending it with Bandit. Mysterious and elusive Bandit. It seemed he had cracked his hard exterior in the end after all and had been shown the inklings of the German’s true self. Buck smiled softly to himself at the thought.

 

It was late in the night when the two returned to the section of the base reserved for living quarters. It was relatively quiet as most of the operatives had either left for the weekend or were still out celebrating in the city. When they got to Bandit’s room Buck felt a looming sense of dread hanging over him because now they would go their separate ways. The German unlocked the door to his room, but stood in the doorway with an expression on his face that Buck couldn’t quite pin down.

 

“Thanks for this. Uh, tonight, I mean.” Buck suddenly blurted out. Bandit gave him a questioning look and Buck felt his cheeks heating up in embarrassment. He was thankful for the dimness of the corridor. He carefully considered his words before he continued. “We should do this again. Really, I had a good time.”

 

Bandit’s lips parted and then closed again, the man at a loss for words. His eyes shifted between each of Buck’s. The Canadian thought he noticed a slight flush to Bandit’s cheeks but he waved it off as something to do with the cold. The heating at the base was prone to failure during the winter. Buck was used to the cold, but he hadn’t dressed as warmly as he probably should have that night.

 

“Yeah,” he finally managed. “Me too.”

 

Down the hall Buck heard muffled cheering as their fellow operators celebrated the coming of the new year. There was a shift in the air, very subtle, but still there and undoubtedly real. The chill in the air made Buck shiver. Outside the windows in the hallway it was snowing.

 

“It’s midnight,” he concluded. Bandit was staring at him again with those mysterious eyes as if he were studying him. The German’s eyes flicked to his lips, then back up to meet his gaze. Bandit bit his lower lip lightly and waited in the doorway as if he expected Buck to do something. Buck could tell they had the same thought on their minds.

 

He took a leap of faith and leaned in, bracing himself against the doorframe with one hand. He felt the warmth of Bandit’s breath as his lips parted in a soft gasp and Buck gently brushed them with his own. Bandit shivered in anticipation before the Canadian moved the rest of the way and captured his lips, his kiss tender.

 

Buck felt as if he were about to faint, as if his heart would explode in his chest. He was breathless. In that moment everything was completely perfect and he never wanted it to end. He hesitated for a moment before he placed his other hand on Bandit’s lithe waist and pulled him close. Bandit’s fist pressed gently against his chest as he tilted his head into the kiss. Everything felt so right.

 

But then Bandit pulled away as if he had been burned and his small slice of fantasy was over. His hands lingered, uncertain as he slipped away and out of Buck’s arms, back into the doorway of his quarters. His eyes were filled with the millions of things he undoubtedly wanted to say.

 

“Happy New Year.” Bandit said before he shut the door and left Buck alone with his thoughts and a thudding in his heart.

 

 

The next week was slow, or at least it felt that way to Buck. His nerves buzzed with anxiety as he awaited his next encounter with Bandit. Would things be weird between them now? Even weirder than they had been before? His thoughts were all in a chaotic stir that left him dizzy and confused. The only thing he could be truly certain of was that he had kissed Bandit.

 

He was startled by a hand landing softly on his shoulder. Cedrick looked down at him with concerned eyes as he took a seat next to him on the bench. He’d gone for a jog out on the track that morning to clear his thoughts. It was nearly noon now.

 

“You feeling alright?” Cedrick said as he handed him a water bottle. Buck thanked him and opened it immediately, taking a generous gulp and then pouring some over his head. He was grateful for something to cool his heated skin.

 

“I don’t know.” He replied after a moment as he ran his hand through his now damp locks. He sighed as the dampness seeped into his scalp.

 

“Can you tell me about it?”

 

“I don’t think you’d understand.”

 

“That’s fine.” Cedrick patted his knee comfortingly. He had a calm demeanor that made Buck slowly relax and feel comfortable in his presence. “You can still talk it out if you want.”

 

Buck sighed deeply, not knowing exactly where to begin. “I think I may have done something really stupid.” Cedrick gave him sympathetic look, a gentle smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

 

“Whenever my brother gets in a bind he gets restless like you,” Cedrick began, crossing one of his legs over his knee. Buck listened attentively. “I worry about him a lot, you know. He tends to keep things bottled up inside until it overwhelms him. But afterwards I’m always there to pick up the pieces and put him back together.”

 

“I don’t think Dominic is broken.”

 

“Yes, you’re right. He’s not.” Cedrick agreed with a thoughtful expression on his face as he considered Buck’s words. He looked as if he were studying the Canadian’s face carefully. “So who’s got you losing sleep?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“C’mon Séb, it’s written all over you face.” The German man uttered a soft _tsk_ and gave him a knowing look. “Surely you must be pining for someone.”

 

“I don’t know if I’d call it that.” Buck mumbled. He didn’t know what to make of whatever it was that was going on between him and Bandit. Confusion muddled with his thoughts. Could he be developing feelings for the man? He found himself wondering if Bandit thought about him even half as often as Buck thought about him.

 

Buck’s heart fluttered in his chest at the mere possibility that he was on Bandit’s mind. _Oh._

 

 

The next time he saw Bandit was during a training session at the Hereford kill house at the center of the base. His heart fluttered in his chest when he saw the German’s name on the roster for the opposing team that day. Buck’s team was to infiltrate the kill house and either eliminate the defenders or successfully defuse the mock bombs planted within the base. It was a simple trial that Buck had performed several times in the past. There was no reason he shouldn’t be able to do it again.

 

Except for one, that is.

 

The bombs were planted on the first floor floor of the building. Buck was to go above and engage the enemy through the ceiling while his teammates hit the objectives directly. Thermite, Thatcher, and Twitch headed for the outside wall while Blitz pushed towards the main door, intending to bulldoze down the main hall and converge with his teammates on the point.

 

Buck did a quick sweep of the top floor with his drone before entering. He shot out the camera in the hall and cleared the rooms as he went. The callouts of his teammates came through his headset. Buck let the others know that he had cleared the building up top  and was pushing down the stairs to clear out the second floor.

 

He checked his corners as he cleared out Master Bedroom, scanning over every possible spot an enemy could be lying in wait. He was about to give his teammates the all clear when he heard something shuffle behind him.

 

“Fancy meeting you here,” a voice whispered behind him. He whipped around and aimed his gun at the adversary. When he realized who it was he froze in his tracks. Bandit smirked, seemingly thoroughly pleased with his reaction, and took a few steps forward. His gun hung lazily at his side in his hand. “Stop bluffing. You won’t shoot me.”

 

Buck huffed, “How do you know?”

 

“Because,” Bandit was only an arm’s length away now and still moving in. Whenever Buck took a step back, Bandit took a step forward and closed the gap between them. He was trapped. “If you do, we’ll get caught.”

 

Before he knew it Bandit had pressed him flush against a wall and was slipping a hand under his uniform, caressing his muscular stomach as he forced his legs apart with his knee and slipped between the gap. Buck’s breath hitched as Bandit’s body pressed against his and his cool fingers caressed the nape of his neck.

 

“Dom, what are you doing?” Buck said in a hushed voice. Bandit slipped off his helmet and let it gently slip from his fingers and fall on the floor, then he pulled down his black mask to expose his face. Buck bit back a yelp as Bandit licked a spot on his neck below his ear. Shivers ran throughout his entire body. “Someone’s gonna see us.”

 

“I’ll be quick.” Then Bandit kissed him with such hunger and intensity Buck thought he might pass out from the rush of arousal that washed over him. He hadn’t realized the other man had slipped his hand into his pants until he felt the man grasp his cock. Buck inhaled sharply and broke off the kiss, his head lolling back and knocking into the wall behind him. The look Bandit gave him was _sinful_.

 

“Dom,” he groaned.

 

“ _Ruhig sein._ ” The German whispered against his lips before he captured with with his own once more. Bandit swallowed his moans as he stroked him and Buck could only tremble in his arms as the other man jerked him to completion.

 

 

Buck eventually came to the realization that Bandit enjoyed watched him squirm and writhe in pleasure from his touch and from his relentless teasing. He would always appear at unexpected moments—at the shooting range, during practice missions, during _actual_ missions. It was always a seemingly innocent caress, a quick kiss on his cheek when he wasn’t looking, or—if Bandit was feeling particularly bold that day—a pinch to his ass.

 

And it drove him absolutely mad.

 

Buck made attempts to flirt back. They were clumsy and awkward attempts but the rush he felt when Bandit played along thrilled him. He never quite imagined Bandit as charming until now, when he let himself freely enjoy the exchanges between them. His gentle smiles he gave to Buck and Buck alone, the sweet kisses he planted on his lips in private, the way he would hold onto Buck’s hand under the table whenever they sat together. Buck felt himself slowly falling for this incredible man and found that he didn’t mind that at all.

 

But then Bandit suddenly became distant and the thoughts of doubt and uncertainty encroached on his mind. Maybe he was getting too comfortable with whatever it was that was going on between them and had completely misread the situation. Maybe something was troubling Bandit and he was shutting him out, just as Cedrick said he would.

 

He decided to take the advice Cedrick had given him and go to Bandit himself. Whatever it was that was troubling him, Buck wouldn’t let him face it alone.

 

“Where are you going at this time of night?” Thermite said when he suddenly got up and headed towards the door. The Texan was already dressed for bed with a towel wrapped around his shoulders from his shower. His hair was still dripping with water as he drowsily eyed Buck with a raised eyebrow.

 

“I have to take care of something. I’ll be back later.”

 

Thermite scoffed and shook his head. “Whatever,” he mumbled. “Just don’t wake me up when you come back.” Buck didn’t think he could wake Thermite from his sleep if he drove a freight train through their room.

 

It didn’t take him long to get to Bandit’s quarters as it was only the next hallway over. As expected he found the German there and after some gentle coaxing the man reluctantly let him in. Bandit’s roommate was away for the night and Buck was eternally grateful for that as it meant they could talk in private without having to worry about anyone disturbing them.

 

“Are you alright?” Buck reached out towards Bandit but he leaned away, just out of his reach. He felt a sharp pain in his chest as Bandit turned his back to him. “What’s going on with you? Let me help.”

 

“It’s nothing that should concern you.”

 

“It _does_ concern me. I’m your--” Buck stopped mid sentence. What was he to Bandit? A friend? Except friends don’t flirt and kiss one another. They don’t hold hands in secret or whisper seductively in each other’s ears. They don’t have trysts in between training sessions. “Do I even mean anything to you?”

 

“Don’t be stupid.” Bandit’s voice wavered with every word.

 

“Did you even tell your brother about us?” He got nothing but silence. Buck was nearly trembling with rage. How could Bandit be so apathetic about this? “You don’t even care. Cedrick and I both worry about you and—”

 

“You don’t know _anything_ about me.” Bandit hissed, finally turning back around.

 

“I know _everything_ about you.” Buck stepped up until he was standing directly in front of Bandit, glaring into the other man’s intense eyes. “You’re just a troubled man putting up a front like you’re hard and you don’t need anybody. But you do.” Bandit shoved him hard against his chest with fury in his eyes and caused him to stumbled a few steps back. Buck regained his footing only to be shoved back again. Bandit looked like he wanted to punch him, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

 

Bandit’s voice wavered as he spoke, “You’re wrong.” He couldn’t even convince himself with that statement. Buck could see it written all over his face.

 

“You don’t get it, do you?” Buck grabbed two fistfuls of Bandit’s jacket, stopping him in his place. The German man reached up to pull away Buck’s hands but he just held on tighter. Bandit’s eyes shifted between his own as if he were searching for some sort of explanation in the Canadian’s gaze. Buck let out a breathy gasp and chuckled. He shook his head slowly in disbelief. “You really don’t get it. I should’ve known.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“This whole time you’ve just been playing games.” Buck’s voice wavered slightly, the frustration and sadness clear in his words. He could feel tears pricking at his eyes, threatening to spill onto his cheeks. “But you never thought about how _I_ might feel.”

 

“Don’t,” Bandit whispered, a soft plea. He shook his head and denied the words still unspoken. It was hanging in the air but he had refused to acknowledge it, refused to accept it. He was crushed by the knowledge. “Don’t say it. Don’t say what I know you’re gonna say.”

 

“Dom,” Buck’s eyes stared back into the German’s with intensity as tears blurred his vision. “I love you.”

 

Bandit’s lips crashed against his own with such ferocity that he was certain they’d be bruised later. Buck tasted salt on his tongue and felt a wetness on his face, not remembering when he had started crying, but then he realized the tears weren’t his own. He reached up and felt the tears streaming down Bandit’s face as he laid a hand on his cheek. Bandit clung onto him for dear life and kissed him until he was breathless, his tongue slipping into Buck’s mouth as he devoured him.

 

“You idiot,” Bandit chuckled as they broke apart for air. He pressed his forehead against Buck’s, breathing hard and shakily. His hand found its way to the Canadian’s nape, caressing the skin there with his slender fingers. “Don’t you know I feel the same way?”

 

“I love you,” he whispered over and over against Bandit’s lips in between kisses like a mantra, and then Bandit showed him just how much he loved him back.

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed this fic please leave a kudos or a comment! Thanks for reading!


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